More than a privilege

The presidential election is over, but politics was still in the air Nov. 19 at the Saban Free Clinic gala feting ABC Entertainment’s Paul Lee and veteran tenpercenter Bob Broder.

Speakers noted that the affirmation of Obamacare doesn’t mean the need for free clinics has been diminished — not by a long shot. California’s Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom was on hand to present the Lenny Somberg service kudo to Broder (a longtime clinic board member), who returned the favor by urging the crowd to remember Newsom and “vote for him.” Broder was also surprised by a soulful rendition of Alicia Keys’ “Fallin’ ” from 11-year-old Ava Cardoso-Smith, daughter of his close friend, Showtime PR chief Trisha Cardoso.

Lee got the royal treatment from “Modern Family” stars Ty Burrell and Julie Bowen, as well as series co-creator Steven Levitan and Jimmy Kimmel, who quipped that Lee is “like an effeminate older brother to me.” The British exec reminded the crowd that he hails from a country where health care is a right, not a privilege, and spoke of his father, a surgeon, and his care for patients. The event, which also featured a perf by Aimee Mann, raised more than $1.4 million.